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The Royals are back at Kauffman Stadium for the second half of a home-and-home series against the Brewers on Wednesday night. Joe Blanton will be taking the bump for Kansas City in his first big league start since 2013. Yost said that Blanton should have the same mindset on the mound as if he were in another relief appearance. “It comes down to getting guys out,” said Yost, “it’s as simple as that.”

Lorenzo Cain has been one of the Royals hottest hitters as of late, and Yost thinks that he has twenty home run a year potential. “He really focuses on using the whole field. He’s not up there looking for a pitch to hit a home run on. He wants to drive the ball and that is a key part to his success.”

Kansas City has been making headlines lately, not only for their winning record on the field, but also for leading the All-Star polls with eight players in line to start as of Monday. When asked what he thought about a fan voted starting team for the All-Star game, Yost stated that he agreed with it. “I don’t want to put this in a bad way, but if people want to change the starting lineup, they should vote. That’s not only for Royals fans, but any fan of baseball.”By Eric Paulson

The Royals completed day two of the 2015 First-Year Rule 4 Player Draft today, selecting eight players after drafting right-handed pitchers Ashe Russell, Nolan Watson and Josh Staumont on Monday.

The Royals first selection of the day came in the third round (98th overall) with 21-year-old center fielder Anderson Miller from Western Kentucky University. Left-handed pitcher Garrett Davila from South Point High School (NC) was the club’s fourth-round pick (129th overall), while KC took center fielder Roman Collins from Florida Atlantic University in the fifth round (159th overall).

The club drafted two high school players, one junior college player and five players from four-year colleges today. Among the 11 players selected over the first two days, the position-by-position breakdown includes: seven pitchers (four right-handers, three left-handers), one infielder and three outfielders.

Below is a complete list of the players selected by the Kansas City Royals through the first two days of the 2015 Rule 4 First-Year Player Draft. The draft concludes with rounds 11-40 on Wednesday, beginning at 11:00 a.m. CDT.

The Royals went with three right-handed pitchers on Monday in day one of the annual Rule 4 Draft.

Kansas City selected 18-year old Ashe Russell, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound hurler from Cathedral Catholic High School in Indianapolis with their first-round pick (21st overall). Russell was 5-1 with a 1.02 ERA and 67 strikeouts to just nine walks in 41.0 innings as a senior. The two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana has committed collegiately to Texas A&M University.

The Royals returned to the Indianapolis prep ranks with the 33rd overall pick, selecting the 18-year old Nolan Watson from Lawrence North High School. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound righty was 6-1 with a 0.68 ERA this spring, striking out 81 over 51.2 innings. His school was a rival school to Russell. Watson was named after Nolan Ryan. The 33rd pick is considered a first round pick as the Royals received the selection when James Shields signed with the Padres.

In the second round, Kansas City picked Josh Staumont, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-hander from Azusa Pacific University in California. The junior compiled a 6-2 mark and a 3.67 ERA over 13 games (12 starts) for the NCAA Division II Cougars, fanning 109 batters over 68.2 innings. He held opponents to a .155 average. The 21-year old is a native of La Habra, Calif.

Salvador Perez hit a go-ahead home run in yesterday’s game, helping the Royals to a 4-3 win. It turns out that Perez has clubbed key home runs on June 7 in three straight years! After the game, we received these notes from Curt Nelson, Director of the Royals Hall of Fame:

Two years ago…

June 7, 2013Salvy for the Lead – Billy for the Win: The Royals trail the Astros 1-0 entering the bottom of the bottom of the fourth inning when Eric Hosmer leads-off with an infield single and Sal Perez follows with a two-run HR to put the Royals in front. The Astros retie the game with a run in the top of the seventh, but the Royals respond in the eighth. Again Hosmer leads-off with a single, then scores on Billy Butler’s one-out RBI double to put the Royals back in front. With Eliot Johnson pinch-running for Butler, the Royals score an insurance run with a two-out RBI double from David Lough. The Royals defeat the Astros 4-2 at Kauffman Stadium.

One year ago…

June 7, 2014Salvy HR to the Rescue: The Royals jump to a 3-0 lead with a three-run bottom of the second, before the Yankees rallied for three in the top of the sixth to end an 11-inning scoreless streak for Royals starter Danny Duffy. Back-to-back walks to Billy Butler and Alex Gordon leading off the bottom of the sixth set the stage for a three-run HR by Salvador Perez putting the Royals back in front – Nori Aoki added a two-out RBI single scoring Lorenzo Cain. Eric Hosmer then lead-off the bottom of the seventh with a solo HR to rightfield. The Royals defeat the Yankees 8-4 at Kauffman Stadium.

And this year…

June 7, 2015Ned Catches Howser – Salvy HR to the Rescue (Again): The Royals score single runs in the first, second and fifth innings to build a 3-0 lead. Jeremy Guthrie has a shutout through six-innings surrendering one hit (a two-out Mitch Moreland double in the top of the fourth) before the Rangers rally for three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game. Salvador Perez hits a two-out solo HR in the bottom of the eighth to regain the lead. Ned Yost notches managerial win #404 for the Royals to match Royals Hall of Famer Dick Howser for second most in club history. The Royals defeat Texas 4-3 at Kauffman Stadium.

Great job, Royals fans! Your votes have put first baseman Eric Hosmer and designated hitter Kendrys Morales on top at their positions in the MLB All-Star Game balloting. Catcher Salvador Perez, shortstop Alcides Escobar, third baseman Mike Moustakas and outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon remain in line for starting nods at their positions. Voting continues until July 2.

Here is part of the balloting update from MLB:Hosmer, bidding for his first career All-Star appearance, has received 3,551,005 votes while surpassing Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (2,933,108), who has earned fan elections in each of the last two seasons. Hosmer is aiming to become the first Royals first baseman to win a fan election. The 25-year-old is tied for eighth in the NL with 13 doubles. In addition, the two-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner has added seven home runs, two triples, 34 RBI, 31 runs scored and a .376 on-base percentage.

Morales, also seeking his first career All-Star selection, has totaled 3,269,634 votes as he attempts to become the first Royals designated hitter to earn a fan election. In his first season with Kansas City, the 31-year-old native of Cuba has proven to be a clutch player for his new team, leading the AL with a .392 batting average with two outs and fourth with a .386 average with runners in scoring position. In addition, Morales is second in the Majors with 29 two-out hits and tied for second with 21 two-out RBI. Overall, Kendrys is hitting .293 on the season with six home runs, 18 doubles (T-1st in AL), 39 RBI (T-4th in AL) and 32 runs scored. Seattle Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz follows close behind Morales with 3,128,121 tallies as he tries for his fourth Midsummer Classic selection and second consecutive starting assignment. Cruz is batting .329 on the season with seven doubles, 39 RBI, 33 runs scored and an AL-best 18 home runs and .613 slugging percentage.

After Yordano Ventura was taken out of yesterday’s game, Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer took him aside to help calm him down and keep him focused. “Hosmer is one of our big leaders who keeps everyone focused and pushing in the same direction” said Yost. Hosmer is not the only Royal who helps lead his teammates, Alex Gordon, Chris Young, Edinson Volquez, Salvador Perez, and Alcides Escobar were all mentioned by Yost.

Danny Duffy will make a rehab assignment this Tuesday in Omaha throwing three to four innings and 50 pitches. Duffy has not pitched since May 16th against the Yankees.

Jeremy Guthrie takes the mound today as the Royals look to end their homestand with a win. Guthrie was able to bounce back in his last start after allowing 11 earned runs at the Yankees. According to Yost, Guthrie was hitting his locations in his start at New York, but the Yankees were still hitting home runs even on balls down in the zone. Guthrie’s fastball velocity has been increasing of late reaching 94 miles per hour and Yost hopes that he will start to use it more often in his upcoming starts.

After pitching well in his last start against the Chicago Cubs, Yordano Ventura takes the mound today against the Rangers as the Royals try to get back on track. Over his past few starts, Ventura’s stuff has been very “crisp” and he has “commanded the ball well” said Yost.

The Royals are in a “quiet bat” period, but Yost still wants to “fight the feeling to do something” as this is a team problem where as if a few players struggle you can simply move them down in the lineup. “When you have eight or nine players” who are struggling, “you stay the course” said Yost. In periods similar to this, it’s important for the Royals to stay calm “and have one good at-bat”. When players are not hitting well it puts more pressure on everybody “because I got to be the man”, said Yost, which ultimately prolongs the slump.

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